Letters from a Prime Minister

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: Andav


I really hope he continues so we can continue to enjoy this AAR. It really is fantastic.

Is it 1942 or 1943? Either way, at this point, saying there is no way you will make it to May 45 would be very disappointing to me.

Wa

It is still 1942. Herb is playing an awesome game!!! Going to take out 1/3 of the Jap army before 1943!!

[Canoerebel]

Herbie, one more thing. In the event John does run up the flag, you'll almost certainly find a player that will step in for him. There are any number that have shown a willingness to fight against long odds. Perhaps you can even entice Nemo to return to the game and the forums.

[pws1225]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Herbie, one more thing. In the event John does run up the flag, you'll almost certainly find a player that will step in for him. There are any number that have shown a willingness to fight against long odds. Perhaps you can even entice Nemo to return to the game and the forums.

Wouldn't that be fun! [:D]

[blueatoll]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: blueatoll

Sounds like an organization to "service" women ....[:'(]

[1275psi]

29th June

There is a long low crude wooden building near the airfield. A former Mission school at
Port Moresby, it is now "ä major hospital"
For Margaret, its beyond a shock.
From the DC3, to this building, takes but 15 minutes.
Her induction, "can you dress a wound, can you change a bed pan?". about ten

The building is overflowing with injured sailors, merchantmen mainly, and too many,
far too many, are burnt.

As an activity to obliterate memory, to suppress pain, this place is perfect.
Margaret throws herself into her work

[1275psi]

As Dawn breaks, John's mind is repeat ably filled with but one thought.
FUBAR
A total Fubar.

Detailed during the night to stand by the damaged Hobart, a ship that obviously should
have been abandoned, Napier finds herself still far, far too close to Geraldon.
Far too many of them do.

FUBAR
How in the hell did so many ships not be ordered to retire?
Now, as Dawn breaks, FUBAR is about to pay its price.
The dive bombers circle.
The dive bombers begin to dive.

[1275psi]

June 29

The forgotten war
The China front

Its the longest front line in history, stretching from the borders of Vietnam , eastward, then northwards,
following the rail line, the rivers., curving south of Sian, all the way to the Mongolian borders.
An immense front line, involving immense forces.
a front line that started hot, became mad for a while, now just an endless stretch of mud,
death, semi starvation.
Japan commands the air, and currently pushes ever so slowly towards that vital rail line West of Changsha.

But air power cannot bomb tens of thousands of men over 100's upon hundreds of miles.

And right now, China has nearly 50000 of them on the move
Today they enter Nanyang
Today they take it.

That immense front line??

Broken. TWANG!, broken in two..

[1275psi]

The first bomb to strike Napier strikes somewhere behind the bridge The shock flings John
onto the deck
He has barely staggered back onto his feet, when the second strikes.

He falls,, hard, stunned. Vaguely he hears the yells, the commands about him. They mean nothing, are thay
actually relevant?
The deck is hard, but, but secure, safe.....
But its already sloping away under him.

A rough hand reaches down, hauls him to his feet.
Captain Smith
"For F&^k sake Ford, get it together! get to the starboard raft, we are going down!"
Back, and fully aware now, aware of the flames amidships, of the ever increasing list,
the silent guns.
We are going down

Napiers Captain is right.
She's going down, fast.

[1275psi]

30 June

To, Prime Minister
From
Admiralty house

Regret to inform of heavy naval losses off Geraldton, including CA Australia, CL Hobart, and
DD Napier to enemy air attack.
Casualties unknown, but expected to be heavy

DD Pakenham searching for survivors.

[1275psi]

From
Winston
to
Prime Minister Ford

Regret crises in Mediterranean forces me to bring Carriers home.
Intention is to still send 2nd Division ASAP.
Intend to launch minor offensive against Chittagong as a cover.

Reports of actions around Esperance pleasing to hear. Actions of Australian soldiers under Blamey
earning honour that will last a thousand years

Winston.

[1275psi]

Adelaide
If Fletcher was in a bad mood last week, this week makes that seem like Zen Budda.
Adelaide is Chaotic.
Too many ships, too few docks

The 4 bloody R's need individual docking, ammunitioning from the AE ships, then as
swiftly as possible, got out of the bloody way.
That's just the four R's.
There are cruisers. There are destroyers.
And of course, Fletchers command.

The frantic work, the ammunitioning, the storing ship, the all day, all night signals and
manoeuvres, these they can take, these are , well, these are things a minor Nation can
throw at you.
You just work harder, and get on with it.

Just one thing causes Fletcher to explode.
There are no, not one, fighter replacements.
And little chance of getting more.

In the end, its the R's that push the issue. They sail, eager to support the British at
Esperance. Fletcher, averaging 20 fighters per carrier, his crew, his staff, himself
exhausted, follows.

The war offers everything, but rest.

[1275psi]

Chinese troops take Nanyang
B17s strike Lae, Kodiak

The japs advance on Esperance, hoping to push us out.

And east of Kalgoorlie, the dust boils.
Its getting hard to tell who is attacking who, and who is getting cut off.

[Taxcutter]

You have touched on the reason I only play against the AI - the sheer amount of time a game taken to 1946 would take. That's too much to ask of most people.

So I play the AI. Scenario 10 with all difficulty set to max. Right now (mid-March 1942) I'm glad it isn't a human. The AI is kicking my butt.

WitP-AE against the AI is far better than no WitP-AE or games that end suddenly.

[Canoerebel]

The game isn't likely to end early, unless Herbie wishes it so. If John resigns, Herbie can find a replacement. It's done pretty frequently and often with good results. Perhaps Lowep will be ready with his late '43 game drawing to a likely conclusion by 1/1/44. Or maybe somebody can entice Nemo to come out of retirement. Or Chickenboy. Or Q-Ball. Or Cribtop. Or any of a score others.

Many players enjoy games vs. the AI very much. Others have no other option. But there is just no comparison whatsoever with the intensity, drama and challenge of playing against a human. I think Bullwinkle used to be a "AI only" guy, but a few years ago he began PBEM. I won't speak for him, but he may be in the best position to articulate the differences between AI and PBEM.

[Anachro]

For my part, I basically just tested out the AI for a few days after Dec 7 to see mechanics before jumping right into a Guadalcanal PBEM. From there I began doing grand campaign PBEM's. Playing against humans is too much fun!

[1275psi]

1/7/42
Tony and Jim retire to the lounge, collapse into the leather chairs.
It is past 3 am, Canberra is quiet, and bitterly, bitterly cold.

The Minister and Speaker stare at each other for some minutes, both too tired to speak
"Drink?"
Both men speak simultaneously. Shake heads.
Eventually Tony gets up, gets them. The spirits are warm, needed.
"You know, I think the barsted is getting stronger"
Tony inclines his head......Äny word on his son?"
"None, God what a mess, I hear we basically don't have a Navy anymore"
"And still he fights"
"And still he fights"

It has been a marathon session. The war Cabinet. Tony half thinks it the bloody hell, we
will do it all ourselves Cabinet.
From the gathering of 1 million sheep, to the steel tonnage production , the latest Matilda
replacements, to God help them, the nylon stocking shortage, they have tackled them all.

And now, two sons missing.

There is an election coming. And somehow, right now Tony does not really care.
The Man is growing into the job.
Out growing him.

[1275psi]

no turns in for a couple of days, and John has sought a replacement player
For OPSEC reasons, AAR on hold in case a potential replacement is amongst you readers

( rather hope the Penguin takes this up )

[Lecivius]

ORIGINAL: 1275psi
( rather hope the Penguin takes this up )

Me too [;)]

[1275psi]

John sent his last turn
It will take about a week or more before we go again

Its feed the penguin time!!!!